Napoleon Dynamite set the pop culture world ablaze when it was released 21 years ago, and everyone from kids to adults was quoting that movie back in 2004. Whether we were calling people an "idiot" while mimicking his voice or rocking a "Vote for Pedro" shirt, and apparently some of us are still doing that in 2025. Out of all the quotes for the movie that have circulated throughout the years, Jon Heder and Efren Ramirez both had picks for the ones they hear the most.
I had the honor of speaking with both actors at San Diego Comic-Con, as they're in the midst of touring and hosting screenings of Napoleon Dynamite across the United States. After hearing about how they aren't tired of talking about the film all these years later, Jon Heder told me the line fans quote at him the most:
Probably ‘Tina, you fat lard.’ That's probably the most quoted… People will still say anything about tots, you know, but that's kind of like the first thing, you know, 'Napoleon! Tots.'
I'm not surprised one of the options from our funniest Napoleon Dynamite quotes was the one Heder hears the most often, but I am shocked at which one resonates with fans the most. If insulting Tina the llama was really that popular amongst fans, I'd hate to be anyone Tina! I'm also not surprised that tater tots get a mention, given we mentioned it when the stars reunited close to a decade ago, and I think of the movie anytime I eat them.
Efren Ramirez's quote is likely easier to guess. Even though he's been up to a lot in the acting world since Napoleon Dynamite left theaters, everyone loves to remind him of his character's political aspirations in the comedy:
They'll say, 'Oh my God, Pedro, can you be our President, please? I voted for you,' or 'I'm gonna vote for you.'
Yeah, no surprise there that Efren Ramirez is hearing that as the two travel along with co-star Jon Gries (Uncle Rico) to screen Napoleon Dynamite for audiences and reminisce about the movie. No doubt, this is only going to make fans more eager to finally see a sequel, and according to Ramirez in an interview last year, that's not off the table yet.
A sequel for Napoleon Dynamite might be perfect, given Jon Gries fame as of late for his role as Greg in The White Lotus. With this, combined with the tour, now might be the time to pull the trigger and join the growing number of cult classic films that decided to use streaming as a vehicle for their second movie.
If that's not in the cards, at least we still have one great movie and a lot of fun quotes to fall back on. Those feeling nostalgic can check out the movie right now with a HBO Max subscription, or check the tour schedule and see where Jon Heder and Efren Ramirez may pop up next!
Readers can enjoy Napoleon Dynamite on HBO Max, though I like to think I have most of the lines still memorized in the back of my mind. Fortunately, I don't remember the dance moves to the auditorium sequence toward the end, otherwise I'd still be doing it to this day.
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